Final spectrum auction document likely to be issued tomorrow

New Delhi: The Department of Telecom is likely to issue tomorrow a notice inviting applicants for sale of spectrum in the second round of auction planned to start from March 11.

As per the earlier plans, NIA was to be issued today but due to certain internal administrative issues it has been deferred. "It (NIA) is likely to be issued tomorrow," a DoT official told PTI. The second round of spectrum auction is expected to fetch over Rs 45,000 crore to government if all the airwaves for which bids are invited are sold at base price.

The government will auction 12 blocks each of 900 Mhz spectrum band in Delhi and Mumbai and 10 blocks of spectrum in Kolkata. Reuters

The government has announced the auction of 1800 Mhz and 900 Mhz band simultaneously, and separate auction of 800 Mhz band in 21 of the 22 service area.

The spectrum being put for auction in 900 Mhz includes spectrum from 8 Mhz held by Bharti Airtel and Vodafone each in Delhi circle; 8 Mhz each of Loop Mobile and Vodafone in Mumbai, and in Kolkata it is 6.2 Mhz spectrum of Bharti Airtel and 7.8 Mhz of Vodafone that is due for renewal in 2014.

In 1800 Mhz, the government will auction 12 blocks of 1.25 Mhz each in Delhi and Mumbai. In Karnataka and Rajasthan, only 8 blocks will be put up for auction and there will be also a provision to provide 3 blocks of additional spectrum in case demand arises for the spectrum.

The government will auction 12 blocks each of 900 Mhz spectrum band in Delhi and Mumbai and 10 blocks of spectrum in Kolkata. There is also a proposal within the government to remove the cap on the number of blocks a company can bid for in the upcoming auction, but its current status could not be ascertained.